Roll grinding and polishing device



lJuly 8 1924.

H. J. HARRIS Rom.' GRINDING AND PoLsHING DEVICE Filed May 28. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l July a 1924. 1,500,386

H. J. HARRIS ROLL GRINDING AND POLISHING DEVICE Filed May 2g, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MM I Patented July 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES O HENRY J'. HARRIS, 0F YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

ROLL GRINDING AND POLISHING DEVLCE.

Application led Hay 28, 1923. Serial No. 641,888.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. HARRIS, a citizen ofthe United Sta/tes, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Roll Grinding and Polishing Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to roll grinding and polishing devices for rolling mills, particularly sheet and tin plate mills and has for its object to provide a device which operates during the rolling operation to maintain a smooth surface on the rolls, making it possible to operate the mill continuously for an extended period of time.

The rolls employed in rolling mills when in operation become coated with scale and pitted and roughened due to the severe usage to which they are subjected while heated to a high temperature, so that it is necessary from time to time to discontinue the rolling operation while the rolls are ground and polished. The polishing is accomplished by rubbing the 'rolls while rotating with blocks of abrasive material such as carborundum until the rolls are smooth enough to again operate eiiiciently. This grinding andpolishing operation results 1n a considerable loss of time and is further objectionable because the heat of the rolls is dissipated during the polishing operation.

Attempts have been made to rovide devices for polishing the rolls during the operation of the mill by means of reciprocating bars held in engagement with the rolls and carrying blocks of abrasive material, but in all such devices ofwhich I am aware the operation has not been satisfactory for the reason Dthat the engagement of the abrasive material throughout the length of the rolls has not been sufficiently uniform to maintain 'a uniformly smooth surface on the rolls.

The rolls of sheet and tin plate mills are so formed that the surfaces thereof are slightly concave from end to end and in operation as the rolls become heated the central portions thereof being hotter gradually expand until the rolls are slightly convex from end to end. In order to obtain an effective polishing action on the rolls it is desirable that the abrasive material be in engagement with the rolls throughout substantlally the entire length thereof, that it have a reciprocating movement lengthwise of the roll and that all portions of the abrasive material engage the roll with aV substantially uniform pressure.

One of the main objects of the present invention is the provision of the polishing element which will automatically conform to the surface of the rolls and engage the same with substantially uniform pressure at all points regardless of the curvature of the rolls at any given time and regardless of the position ofthe polishing element with respect to the roll.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a polishing device in the form of an attachment which can be easily applied to mills of standard construction without any material alterations thereto.

Other objects will be-apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

The following description and accompanying drawings set forth in detail certain means embodying the invention, the dis-. closed means, however, constituting but one of the various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which Fig. l is a front elevation of.a rolling mill with the roll polishing device applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an end elevation with the bar reciprocating mecha- -nism omitted; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation showing the bar reciprocating mechanism; Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the flexible polishing bar in side elevation; Fig. 5 shows a transverse section through the bar on a somewhat enlarged scale; Fig. 6 is a detail view showing one of the supporting brackets carrying the guide rollers which support the shafts upon which the polishing bars are mounted.

Referring to the accompanying drawi s Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show a roll stand of staiiard construction having standards 1 in which the upper and lower rolls 2 and 3 are journaled. The rolls 2 and 3 have neck portions 4 and 5 at the end thereof which are journaled in the vertical slots 6 in the standards l, the neck portions 4 and 5 being engaged by bearing blocks 7 within the slots 6. The lower roll 3 is driven from a spindle 8 through the usual coupling colno lar 9. The rolls 2 and 3 are engaged by upper and lower polishing bars 10 and 11, the upper polishing bar 10 being supported upon the ends of arms 12 and 13 which are fixed to the inner ends of horizontal shafts 14 and 15supported on the end standards and the lower bar 11 being carried by arms 17 and 18 which are fixed to the inner ends of horizontal shafts 19 and 20 carried by the end standards. A pair of brackets21 are secured to each of the standards 1 within the slots 6 thereof opposite the bight of the rollers and carry upper and lower concave rollers 22 and 23 between which the shafts 14 and 15 are slidably and rotatably supported, and additional pairs of rollers 24 and 25 between which the shafts 19 and 2O are slidably and rotatably supported beneath the shafts 14 and 15. The shafts 14, 15, 19 and 2O extend parallel with the axis of the roller projectingat their inner ends in front of the rolls, the shafts 14 and 15 being positioned above the bight of the rolls and the shafts 19 and 2O being positioned below the bight of the rolls so that the passage of sheets through the rolls is not interfered with. The shafts 14, 15, 19 and 20 all project beyond the outer sides of the standards 1 and are provided with means upon the outer sides of the standards for yieldingly turning them ina direction to press the polishing bars 1() and 11 against the rolls. The shafts 19 and 2O have arms 27 and 28 fixed thereto outside the standards and projecting outwardly therefrom. Counterweights 29 and 30 are adjustably mounted upon the arms 27 and 28 and serve to impart a yielding pressure to the ends of the polishing bar a11 which are engaged by the arms 17 and 18. The shafts 14 and 15 have arms 31 and 32 fixed thereto outside the standards and extending outwardly above the arms 27 and 28 of the lower shafts 19 and 20. Yielding means for-swinging the arms 31 and 32 in an upward direction to press the bar -10 against the upper roll 2 are provided, the yielding means being in the form of a spring attachment. rlhis attachment consists of a pair of coil springs 33 and 34 which are attached at their upper ends to hooks 35 and 36 on the standard 1 and at their lower ends to a bar 37 which is provided with a series of spaced hooks 38 for engagement with the actuating arm for the upper polishing bar. The lower end of the bar 37 has a lower treadle portion 39 so that the operator can apply the desired tension to the springs 33 and 34 and engage the actuating arm with the proper hook 38 to apply the desired pressure to the polishing bar 11.

Sufficient clearance is provided between the actuating arms of the shafts 14, 15, 19 and 20 and the outer faces of the standards 1 to permit the shafts to have a reciprocating movement in an endwise direction to reciprocate the polishing bars 10 and 11 lengthwise of the rolls. For reciprocating the four shafts and the polishing bars carried thereby, the shafts 14 and 19 have mounted thereon a pair of vertical bars 40 and 41 which are held against longitudinal movement on the shafts by means of suitable detachable collars 42. Rigidly attached to the vertical bars 40 and 41 between the upper and lower shafts 14 and 19 is a transverse bar 43 which carries a depending arm 44 which is provided with a pair o spaced inwardly projecting pins 45 and 46 which engage with a cam ring 47 attached upon the outside of the coupling collar 9. Upon each revolution of the lower roll 3, the polishingebars I10 and 11 will be moved lengthwise, forwardly and back upon the surface of the rolls, the counterweights 29 and 30 serving to yieldingly hold the polishing `bar 11 in engagement with the lower roll and the springs 33 and 34 .serving to yieldingly hold the upper polishing bar 10 in engagement with the upper roll at all times during the reciprocation thereof.

While `the surfaces of the polishing bars which engage with 'the rolls may be of' metal or other substance of suflicient hardness to withstand the abrasive action, the wearing surface is preferably separate from the body of the bar and in sections 20 as not to interfere with the flexing of the bar. AS shown herein the two polishing bars are identical in construction and consistY of a relatively light flexible channel iron 48 in the channel of which a series of short blocks 49 which may be of abrasive material such as carborundum are mounted, the blocks 49 being held in place in the channel by means of a removable angle strip 50 along one edge of the bar 48 which is secured in place by means of bolts 51. Bearing plates 52 are attached to the back of the channel bar 48 adjacent the ends thereof and are provided with drilled holes 54 which receive pins 55 upon the ends of the supporting arms. The drilled holes 54 are of slightly greater diameter than the pins 55 so that the polishing bar can rock slightly with respect to the arms to permit the flat outer faces of the blocks 49 to properly engage the rolls. Since the polishing bars are normally held in engagement with the rolls they will be retained upon the pins 55 of the arms. To remove the polishing bar 11 all that is necessary is to swing the supporting arms outwardly far enough to permit the bar to be lifted therefrom.

In order to cause the polishing bars to uniformly engage with the rolls throughout their length I have provided means for exerting a yielding pressure upon the central portions of the bars. To this end. a thrust member in the form of a bracket 56 carrying a roller 57 is attached to the back of the channel bar 48 at the center thereof. A rod 58 is pivotally connected to one of the bearing plates 52 andy has a threaded outer end connected by means of aturn buckle 59 with a flexible rod 60 which bears upon the thrust roller 57 and is connected to the opposite bearing plate A52 through a coil spring 61. By adjusting the turn buckle 59, tension of the spring 6l can be adjusted to exert a thrust upon the central thrust member 56` which tends to bow the central portion of the flexible bar 48 inwardly. While the polishing bar is in engagement with the roll, thrust is thus transmitted to the central portion of the bar to maintain the central portion of the bar as well as the end portions thereof in proper engagement with the roll. By reason of the independent pressure .applying means at spaced points along the flexible bar, the polishing bar will automatically conform to the endwise curvature of the roll and will be pressed uniformly against the roll throughout its length regardless of the curvature of the roll in an endwise direction and regardless of the position of the polishing bar with respect to the roll.

It is desirable that the polishing bars be of substantially the same length as the rolls and when necessary to provide for the necessary longitudinal movement of the polishing bars, the standards 1 may be provided with notches 62 on their inner sides opposite the ends of the bars 10 and 11 to provide sulicient clearance for the reciprocation of the bars.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A roll polishing device for rolling mills, comprising a exible bar adapted to conform to the longitudinal curvature of the surface of the roll, and means for yieldingly pressing the bar against the roll.

2. A roll polishing device for rollingmills comprising a flexible bar having one face thereof engaging with the roll, means for yieldingly pressing said bar at its ends .against the roll, and independent means for yieldingly pressing the central portion of the bar against the roll.

3. A roll polishing device for rolling mills comprising a flexible bar extending lengthwise of the roll and carrying abrasive material on the face thereof toward the roll, means for imparting` an endwise reciprocating movement to the bar and means for yieldingly pressin said bar against the roll at spaced points a ong the length thereof to cause said bar to conform to the surface of the roll.

4. A roll polishing device for rolling mills comprising a flexible bar having blocks of abrasive material secured along the inner side thereof, and yielding means on the thereof whichengages the roll, independent means at opposite ends of the bar for yield-A ingly pressing the bar against the roll and means carried by the said bar for pressing the central portion thereof toward the roll.'

6. A roll polishing device for rolling mills comprising a flexible bar engageable with the roll Substantially throughout the length of the roll, said bar having blocks Of abrasive material upon the inner side thereof Which engages the roll, independent means at the opposite ends of the bar for pressing the same against the roll, means carried by the bar for pressing the central portion thereof against the roll, and means for reciprocating the bar in an endwise direction.

7. A roll polishing device for rolling mills comprising a flexible bar having blocks of abrasive material secured upon the inner side thereof, a thrust member adjacent the center of the bar on the outer side thereof and an adjustable and yieldable tension member-connecting the ends of the bar and bearing upon the thrust member.

8. A roll polishing device for rolling mills comprising a flexible bar having blocks of abrasive material secured upon the inner side thereof, a thrust member adjacent the center of the bar on the outer side thereof, a tension rod engaging the thrust'member, a coil spring connected to upon the inner ends of the shafts, a polishing bar carried by said arms, yielding means acting on the shafts to press the polishing bar against one of the rolls, and means connected to one of the shafts to reciprocate the same.

l0. In a rolling mill, the combination with the supporting standards for the rolls ,having vertical slots to receive the necks of the rolls. of brackets secured to the standards within the slots between t-he necks of the rolls, upper and lower concave rolls carried by each ofthe brackets, horizontal shafts slidably and rotatably supported between the rolls, arms upon the inner ends of the shafts, a polishing bar carried by said arms, means acting on the shafts to yieldingly press the polishing bar against the roll, and means connected to one of the shafts to reciprocate the same.

11. In a rolling mill, the combination with the supporting standards for the rolls `having vertical slots to receive the necksV of the rolls, of brackets secured within the slots o1 the standards between the necks of the rolls, upper and lower horizontal shafts slidably and rotatably supported in said brackets, arms upon theinner ends of the shafts, olishing bars carried by said arms adapte to engage the upper and lower rolls, yielding means acting on said shafts to turn the-*same in a direction to press thel adapted to engage the upper and lower4 rolls, yielding means acting upon each of the shafts to turn the same in a direction to press the polishing bars against the rolls, an arm connected to the shafts on one of the standards and a cam rotatable with.

slots of the standards between the necks of the rolls, horizontal shafts rotatably supported by said brackets, arms upon the inner ends of said shafts, a polishing bar carried by the arms and adapted to engage a roll, arms fixed to the shafts outsidethe standards, and means connected to the arms for yieldingly turning the shafts in a direction to press the bar against the roll.

14. ln a rolling mill7 the combination with the roll supporting standards which have vertical slots to receive the necks of the rolls, of brackets secured within the slots of the standards between the necks of the rolls, aligned horizontal shafts supported bythe brackets, arms upon the in ner ends of the shafts,a polishing bar carried by the arms and adapted to engage a roll, arms fixed to the shafts outside the standards, and springs connected to the arms andto the standards for yieldingly turning the shafts in a direction to press the polishing bar against the roll.

In testimony whereof, hereunto aiix my signature.

HENRY J. HARRIS. 

